Proportioning fluid pump



Sept. 14, 1965 w. E. cLAcK PROPORTIONING FLUID PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. l2, 1964 w EN ATTORNEY Sept. 14, 1965 w. E. cLAcK PROPORTIONING FLUID PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2, 1964 INVENTOR.

WILLIS CLACK ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,295,830 PROPORTINHNG FLUlD PUMP Willis lE. Clack, Madison, Wis., assignor to Claclk Corporation, Madison, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 344,444 2 Claims. (Cl. 10S-152) This invention relates to uid pumps, and more particularly, to iiuid actuated diaphragm pumps.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a fluid actuated diaphragm pump which will pump an amount of iuid directly proportional to the amount of actuating fluid supplied to the pump.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a compact proportioning fluid pump which has a minimum number of moving parts, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is inherently durable.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been selected for exemplication.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the proportioning fluid pump of my invention, in use with a schematically shown water softener unit.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section view taken along section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the uid pump of my invention at the beginning of its suction stroke.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section view taken along the sarne section line as FIG. 2 and showing the fluid pump of my invention at the beginning of its pumping stroke.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section View taken along section line 4 4 of FIG. 2 and showing the uid pump of my invention during its suction stroke.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to like parts, it is seen that my proportioning iiuid pump includes a casing 11, having a pressure chamber 12 and a diaphragm chamber 13 containing a flexible diaphragm 14. The diaphragm 14 engages the casing 11 at the periphery of the diaphragm chamber 13 in substantially fluid tight relation to divide the diaphragm chamber into a pressure compartment 15 and a displacement compartment 16. The pressure compartment 15 communicates with the pressure chamber 12 through the wall ports 18 in the dividing wall 17. The displacement compartment 16 has an inlet 19 and an outlet 20.

The inlet 19 is threaded to engage the outlet end 21h of the inlet check valve housing 21 in fluid tight relation, as shown. The inlet check valve housing 21 preferably has an upper valve seat 22 adapted to seat an upper ball check 23, and a lower valve seat 24 adapted to seat a lower ball check 25. The inlet end 21a of the inlet check valve housing 21 is threaded for attachment to an inlet conduit 26 leading to a source of uid.

The displacement compartment outlet is threaded to engage the inlet end 27a of the outlet check valve housing 27 in fluid-tight relation, as shown. The outlet check valve housing 27 has a valve seat 28 adapted to seat a ball check 29. The outlet end 27b of the outlet check valve housing 27 is threaded for attachment to an outlet conduit 3@ through which the fluid being pumped is discharged.

The flexible diaphragm 14 has a center hole 14a through which the diaphragm alignment stem 31 extends. The alignment stem 31 has a head 32 which bears against the diaphragm 14, a shoulder 33 of approximately the same width as the diaphragm 14 and which lies within the diaphragm center hole 14a, a threaded portion 34 which engages a retainer nut 36 that bears against the side of the diaphragm 14 opposite the head 32, and an 3,205,830 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 ICC extended portion 35. The extended portion 35 engages the guide hole 38 of the diaphragm adjusting screw 37 in slidable relation. A compression spring 39 extends between the adjusting screw 37 and the retainer nut 36 to urge the diaphragm 14 in the direction of the dividing wall 17.

A threaded stud 40 extends from the alignment stem head 32 in the direction of the dividing wall 17. A cylinder 41 is threadedly attached to the stud 40 as shown.

The cylinder 41 has a closed end 41a y,with a hole 42 through which the connecting stem 44 of U-slide 43 extends. A piston 45 is connected to the end of the connecting stem 44 and is adapted to move back and forth within the cylinder 41. Movement of the piston 45 within the cylinder 41 is limited in one direction by the stud 40, and in the other direction by the closed end 41a of the cylinder. The connecting stem 44 of the U-slide 43 extends through the stem hole 17a in the dividing wall 17 and into the pressure chamber 12, where it is attached to the U-slide 43 in any suitable manner.

An inlet fitting 46 threadedly engages the casing 11 in Huid-tight relation and extends into the pressure chamber 12, as shown. The inlet iitting 46 has an inlet port 47, which is located in alignment with an outlet port 48 located within the pressure chamber 12. The inlet port 47 connects the inlet fitting alignment passage 49 which extends into the pressure chamber 12, with the inlet fitting inlet pasage 50. A ow control body 51, having a ow control insert 52 retained therein by means of a retainer collar 53, is preferably attached to the inlet fitting 46 in communication with the inlet passage 50. The ow control body 51 is in turn connected to a source of actuating liuid, preferably a supply pipe 54, as shown. The outlet port 48 ispreferably a replaceable item which is supported within the pressure chamber 12 in communication with the pressure chamber outlet passage 55, as shown.

A needle valve 56 is located between the inlet port 47 and the outlet port 48, and is shiftable between the position shown in FIG. 2, wherein it engages and closes the inlet port 47, and the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein it engages and closes the outlet port 48. A pair of snap springs 57 extend between and engage slots 56a in the needle valve 56 and slots 43b in the opposed legs 43a of the U-slide 43. The legs 43a extend on each side of the needle valve 56, as shown, and are preferably retained in the correct lateral position by bolts 43d which extend through guide holes 43C in legs 43a. The normal extended length of the snap springs 57 is greater than the perpendicular distance between the needle valve 56 and the U-slide opposed legs 43a, so that the snap springs 57 will tend to displace the slots 56a of the needle valve as great a distance as possible from the slots 43b of the U-slide legs 43a. Thus, as the U-slide moves from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3, the needle valve 56 will be forced by the snap springs 57 against the inlet port 47 until the slots 56a and 43b in which the snap springs 57 `are engaged are directly opposite each other and the snap springs 57 are compressed to their shortest length. Then, as the U-slide 43 continues toward the position of FIG. 3, the snap springs 57 will exert a force upon the needle valve slots 56a in the opposite direction and cause the needle valve 56 to shift to the position of FIG. 3, wherein it is forced against the outlet port 48.

The operation of my proportioning fluid pump 10 may now be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be assumed for the purposes of this description that my proportioning pump 10 is being used to pump brine from the brine tank 59 to the mineral tank 61 of a conventional automatic water softener unit 60 to regenerate the mineral in the mineral tank 61. My brine pump 10 also replaces with an equal or slightly greater amount of water the brine which is removed from the brine tank 59. In the schematically shown system of FIG. 1, supply pipe 54 supplies raw water from the 4main control valve 62 of the water softener unit 60 to the flow control body 51. and inlet port 47 of my invention; raw water outlet pipe 5S delivers raw water from the oulet port 48 and outlet passage 55 of my pump 10 to the upper portion of the brine tank 59; the pump inlet pipe 26 delivers brine from the bottom -of the brine tank 59 to the pump inlet check valve housing 21; and, the pump outlet pipe 30 delivers brine from the pump outlet check valve housing 27 to the mineral tank 61.

During the normal service operation of the water softener unit, there is no call for brine from the brine tank 59. During this period, the pump remains in the position shown in FIG. 3. Although the inlet port 47 is open, no water is supplied to the supply pipe 54 by the water softener unit control valve 62, and the pump 10 will not operate.

PeriodicaIly, however, it is necessary to regenerate the mineral material contained in the mineral tank 61 of the softener unit 60 -to renew its water softening capabilities. This is conventionally done by passing a solution of salt brine through the mineral tank 61 until the mineral has been regenerated. In the described system, regeneration of the mineral bed is commenced when the control valve 62, which is normally solenoid operated or motor driven, connects the supply Apipe 54 with a raw water supply line (not shown). Raw water (actuating iluid) is then forced through the ow control insert 52 and inlet port 47, past flats 56h on the outer circumference of the needle valve 56, and -into the pressure chamber 12. The ow control insert 52 is of conventional design and provides a substantially constant rate of ow despite variations in the supply pipe pressure. As the water lls the pressure chamber 12, it will flow through the wall ports 18, past ats 4117 on the outer circumference of the cylinder 41, and into the pressure compartment of the diaphragm chamber 13, where it pushes against the diaphragm 14. As the force of the water against the diaphragm 14 increases, the diaphragm is pushed to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, to compress the spring 39.

.As the diaphragm 14 moves to the left, it forces any brine in the d-isplacement compartment 16L outward through the outlet -check valve housing 27 and past the outlet ball check 29 to the pump outlet pipe 30, the control v-alve 62 .and the mineral tank 61. During `the initial movement of the diaphragm 14 .and attached cylinder 41, the piston 45 and connected elements rem-ain stationery. As the diaphragm 14 nears the end of vits travel to the left, the closed end 41a of the Icylinder 41 engages the piston 45 to pull the piston 45, the connecting stem 44 and the U-slide 43 in the direction of the diaphragm. When the U-slide legs 43 pass the point at which the slots 43b and the needle valve slots 56a are directly opposite,

and where the snap springs 57 are compressed to their shortest lengths, the snap springs 57 will snap the needle valve 56 to the position shown in FIG. 2, wherein the pressure chamber inlet port 47 is closed and the pressure chamber outlet port 48 is opened.

The opening of the outlet port 48 allows the compressed spring 39 to push diaphragm 14 toward the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, and force the water in the pressure compartment 15 to flow around ats 41b on the cylinder 41, through wall ports 18, past flats 56h on the needle valve 56, and outward through the outlet port 48,

outlet passage 55 and outlet pipe 58 to the top of the brine tank 59, which is at atmospheric pressure. As the diaphragm 14 is`forced to the right by the compression spring 39, it creates a partial vacuum in the displacement compartment 16. This partial vacuum seats the outlet ball check 29, raises the upper and lower ball checks 23 and 25 off their respective seats 22 and 24, and lifts brine from the bottom of the brine tank 59 through the inlet pipe 26 and valve housing 27 to the displacement compartment 16.

As is the case when the diaphragm 14 travels to the left to pump brine from the displacementcompartment 16, the piston and attached elements remain stationery during the initial movement ofthe diaphragm toward the right to suck brine into the displacement compartment and exhaust raw water into the brine tank. As the diaphragm 14 nears the end of its travel to the right, the stud 40 engages the piston 45 to push the piston, the connecting stem 44 and the U-slide toward the right to the position shown in FIG. 3. Vfhen the U-slide legs 43 pass the point at which the slots 43b and the needle valve slots 56a are directly opposite, and where the snap springs 57 are compressed to their shortest lengths, the snap springs 57 will snap the needle valve 56 to the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the outlet port 4S is closed and the inlet port 47 is open to admit water from the supply pipe 54 to the pressure chamber 12. This will end the movement of the diaphragm 14 and U-slide 43 to the right, and will allow the raw water to again move the diaphragm toward the left to force the brine in the diaphragm chamber 16 outward past the outlet ball check 29 to the outlet pipe 31D.

The above described cycle will be continually repeated to pump brine from the brine tank 59 to the mineral tank 61, and to replace the brine removed from the brine tank with raw water, until the supply of raw water to the supply pipe 54 is cut oif by the control valve 62. During that portion of the cycle when the inlet port 47 is open to admit raw water to the pressure chamber 12 and pressure compartment 15 and force the diaphragm 14 to the left as viewed in the drawings, which may be designated the pumping stroke, brine is pumped from the displacement compartment 16 through the pump outlet pipe 30, the control valve 62 and the mineral tank 61. During that portion of the cycle when the inlet port 47 is closed and the outlet port 48 is open to eX- haust the raw water from the pump 10 to the top of the brine tank 59, which may be designated the suction stroke, the diaphragm is forced to the right as viewed in the drawings by the compressed spring 39 to create a partial vacuum in the displacement chamber 16 and draw brine from the bottom of the brine tank 59 to the displacement chamber 16. Thus, brine is drawn from the brine tank 59 to the displacement chamber 16 during each suction stroke, and is forced from the displacement chamber 16 to the mineral tank 61 during each pumping stroke.

The raw water which is exhausted to the upper portion of the brine tank 59 is less dense than the brine in the lower part of the brine tank 59,A and will oat on top of the brine until the brine has all been drawn from the brine tank 59. My proportioning pump 10 is preferably so constructed that the amount of raw water which is exhausted into the brine tank 59 slightly exceeds the amount of brine pumped from the tank. The lraw water remains in the brine tank after the operation of the pump 10 ceases and the softener unit 6i) returns to service, where it dissolves salt contained in the brine'tank to form a new charge of brine. The slight excess of raw water exhausted into the brine tank 59 allows for evaporation during service and compensa-tes for brine lost through any other causes. The brine tank 59 preferably has an overflow drain 59a which limits the amount of brine in the tank 59 and allows any excess water to drain off. My pump 10 can, of course, be easily modified to increase or decrease the amount by which the exhausted fluid eX- ceeds the pumped fluid.

The water softener unit control valve 62 is normally operated by an electric timer mechanism. The timer may be set so that the control valve 62 will supply raw water to operate my brine pump 10 for only as long as it takes the pump 10 to pump all of the brine in the brine tank 59 through the mineral tank 61. However, it will often be desirable to supply raw water to the pump 10 for a period of time after the brine has been vremoved from the brine tank and pumped through the mineral tank 61 to effect a slow raw water rinse of the mineral bed. In such a case, my pump will continue its operation to pump raw water from the brine tank 59 to the mineral tank 61 at the same rate that the brine was pumped to the mineral tank 61.

The pumping rate of my proportionng pump is dependent upon several factors. The duration of the pumping stroke is primarily governed by the ow rate of the flow control insert 52. If the lio-w rate is relatively low, the time required for the raw water passing through the insert 52 to fill the pressure chamber 12 and pressure compartment 15, and force the diaphragm to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 will be quite great. Conversely, if the flow rate is grea-ter, the time requirement will be less.

The duration of the suction stroke depends mainly upon the strength and amount of compression of spring 39, and the size of the pressure chamber outlet port 48. If a relatively strong spring is used, or the diaphragm adjusting screw is tightened to increase the compression of the spring 39, the spring will force the diaphragm to the position of FIG. 3 more quickly. Similarly, if the diameter of the outlet port 48 is relatively large, it will enable the spring 39 and diaphragm 14 to exhaust the raw water more quickly. Conversely, if the spring 39 is Weak, or under less tension, or the outlet port is relatively small, more time will be required for completion pf the suction stroke.

There are, of course, many possible modifications of my proportioning pump which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. A single ball check valve may be employed at the displacement compartment inlet 19 instead of the upper and lower ball checks 23 and 25 described. The flow control insert 52 may be eliminated, especially where the pressure in the supply line 54 can be expected to be substantially constant, and the size of the inlet port may be selected to provide the desired pumping stroke duration.

My proportioning pump 10 has many uses other than the described use in connection with a water softener unit. My pump 10 may be employed wherever it is desired to pump fluids and there is a source of actuating fiuid to operate the pump. It is especially well-suited where it is desired to pump a given amount of one fluid and replace it with or simultaneously meter a proportionate amount of another similar or dissimilar uid.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not confined to the particular construction, arrangement of parts or methods herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modifications and alterations thereof as may come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. lIn a diaphragm pump having a displacement compartment, an inlet .and an outlet in communication with said displacement compartment, Ifirst and second check valve means located in said inlet and said outlet, respec- 6 tively, a flexible diaphragm movable between a first position which maximizes the Volume of said displacement compartment and a second position which minimizes the volume of said displacement compartment, .and spring means adapted to urge said diaphragm toward said first position, .pump actuating .and control means comprising,

(a) ya pressure chamber in communication with said diaphragm and having an inlet land an outlet,

(b) .a unitary valve member located within said pressure chamber and being movable between a first position lwherein it closes said pressure chamber outlet and said pressure chamber inlet is open and a -sec-ond position wherein it closes said press-ure chamber inlet .and lsaid pressure chamber outlet is open,

(c) slide means extending from said pressure chamber toward salid diaphragm and having a first position and `a second position,

(d) means attached to said diaphragm for engaging and shifting said slide means to its first position when said diaphragm is moved to its first position, and for engaging .and shifting said slide means to its second position Iwhen said diaphragm is moved to its second position,

(e) the portion of said slide means which is located within said pressure chamber being substantially U- shaped and having .a pair of legs which extend on oppoite sides of said valve member in spaced relation, an

(f) snap spring means comprising a pair of compression springs extending from said valve member to each of said slide means legs, respectively, in partially compressed relation, said spring being positioned such that they Iwill displace said valve member in a direction opposite to the dire-ction Iof travel of said -slide means whereby to move said valve member to its first position when said slide means is shited to its first position, and to move said valve member to its second position when said slide means is shifted to its second position.

2. T'he invention described in claim 1 wherein the pressure chamber inlet includes flow control means for maintalning a substantially constant rate of fluid flow into the pressure chamber when the valve member is in its first position, despite changes in inlet fiuid supply pressure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,613 7/13 Lane 103-152 3,075,468 l/ 63 Eifel 103-230 X FOREIGN PATENTS 296,073 3 /218 Great Britain. 524,055 7/ 40 Great Britain.

ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DIAPHRAGM PUMP HAVING A DISPLACEMENT COMPARTMTNT, AN INLET AND AN OUTLET IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID DISPLACEMENT COMPARTMENT, FIRST AND SECOND CHECK VALVE MEANS LOCATED IN SAID INLET AND SAID OUTLET, RESPECTIVELY, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHICH MAXIMIZE THE VOLUME OF SAID DISPLACEMENT COMPARTMENT AND A SECOND POSITION WHICH MINIMIZES THE VOLUME OF SAID DISPLACEMENT COMPARTIMENT, AND SPRING MEANS ADAPTED TO URGE SAID DIAPHRAGM TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION, PUMP ACTUATING AND CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING, (A) A PRESSURE CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID DIAPHRAGM AND HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET (B) A UNITARY VALVE MEMBER LOCATED WITHIN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT CLOSES SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER OUTLET AND SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER INLET IS OPEN AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT CLOSES SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER INLET AND SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER OUTLET IS OPEN (C) SLIDE MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER TOWARD SAID DIAPHRAGM AND HAVING A FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION, (D) MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID DIAPHRAGM FOR ENGAGING AND SHIFTING SAID SLIDE MEANS TO ITS FIRST POSITION WHEN SAID DIAPHRAGM IS MOVED TO ITS FIRST POSITION, AND FOR ENGAGING AND SHIFTING SAID SLIDE MEANS TO ITS SECOND POSITION, (E) THE PORTION OF SAID SLIDE MEANS WHICH IS LOCATED (E) THE PORTION OF SAID SLIDE WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER BING SUBSTANTIALLY USHAPED AND HAVING A PAIR OF LEGS WHICH EXTEND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID VALVE MEMBER IN SPACED RELATION, AND (F) SNAP SPRING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF COMPRESSION SPRINGS EXTENDING FROM SAID VALVE MEMBER TO EACH OF SAID SLIDE MEAN LEG, RESPECTIVELY, IN PARTIALLY COMPRESSED RELATION, SAID SPRING BEING POSITIONED SUCH THAT THEY WILL DISPLACE SAID VALVE MEMBER IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID SLIDE MEANS WHEREBY TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER TO ITS FIRST POSITION WHEN SAID SLIDE MEANS IS SHIFTED TO ITS FIRST POSITION, AND TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER TO ITS SECOND POSITION WHEN SAID SLIDE MEANS IS SHIFTED TO ITS SECOND POSITION. 